Communication Technologies was a great class. It was also extremely important to discuss these topics before entering the work world. I am convinced that there will soon be a social media class on campus. These types of technology have spread faster than anything ever has in the communications world. I enjoyed having the chance to get aquatinted with blogging and using Twitter as a tool to promote the things I wrote in my blog. I also enjoyed having the chance to survey people for the research project. Getting out there and getting information from people rather than reading about somebody else’s survey is a good experience. In fact, I would suggest making it a requirement that people do some type of survey for their research project…even if its just a questionnaire handed out to ten people. The Ironic thing is that I used my Facebook Inbox to send out the questionnaires.

Gladwell makes a good point about social media simply being an “organizational tool,” however I still agree with Shirky that the recent protests would not have been as large and effective without social media. Yes, they would have happened still, but they wouldn’t have gathered so much attention so quickly. It is the fact these revolutions happened so quickly that makes them so newsworthy; and that is accredited to social media.

Land’s End’s retail patterns didn’t change because they already have a loyal group of customers who are going to seek them out on Facebook. They are using social media to keep their customers informed about monthly sales rather than focusing on gaining new customers. The company is a niche retailer with very little room for growth.

The recent events in Egypt have marked the first time that Social Media was used as a tool to overthrow a government. However, it was interesting to see that texting was used in this same way in 2001, when nobody could have imagined that technology could be used to get a political figure impeached or gather an astronomical amount of protestors. The purpose of social media is to connect people. When somebody puts a message out, it automatically receives more attention on Facebook and Twitter than through any other medium. If a few people re-post your message and a few of their “friends” re-post the message, hundreds of thousands of people can see it in less than 5 minutes. I didn’t hear about the protests in Madison by watching the news. I saw pictures, articles and status posts on Facebook.

This was a great list…..and so true! I can’t believe 13 hours of video are uploaded every minute on youtube. I am trying to market my band via social media which is extremely tough, so I’m learning as much as I can about SEO. I think I need to buy a book or something…

This is a very important list. I just started working for a company in Madison, WI that is very traditional and doesn’t understand the power of social media. They don’t even have a Facebook or Twitter page. I’m going to have to set them up with at least the basics. However, they did introduce me to Constant Contact which is great for sending out mass emails with “weekly specials.”

This article brought up good points about the fact that social media is a tool that should be utilized by journalists and advertisers. Just because the information is getting out quicker and any “Joe” off the street can report it, doesn’t mean people won’t seek out the truth from a trusted news source like CNN or the New York Times.

In advertising, social media is also changing things. On commercials now, the companies tell you to visit their Facebook page instead of their website. In the end, there are still a number of people getting payed good money to get information out their. The best thing about social media is that its free to use, but can generate income and awareness.

Many journalists have grown afraid of Twitter due to its ability to get information out fast. They fear that they will be out of a job since Twitter has networking and broadcasting capabilities beyond that of an average communications employee. News cast have lost ratings as many people are adopting to recieving news through social media.

I started a Twitter account for my first internship but haven’t used it since. I don’t like the fact that you can only type 140 words in your update. Although the company believes that is enough to convey thoughts and ideas. Facebook is more personal to me. All of my friends are on Facebook but it seems like Twitter is a whirlwind of useless information from large companies and famous people. I get my news from CNN or on my Facebook wall. Although I have not “liked” any pages like CNN or MSNBC.

“It takes a Village to find a Phone” is a story about a moral dilemma in which a girl named Sasha takes a phone that doesn’t belong to her. Rather than returning it, when Evan, the owners friend asks her, Sasha mouths off to him and texts him verbal threats. Evan uses social media to put out the information that he has about Sasha. (her name, pictures she took on the phone and the texts she sent) He includes his story about the moral dilemma of somebody taking something that doesn’t belong to them and refusing to give it back. This story has a universal theme and social media was relatively new at the time so thousands of people began to follow it. People tracked Sasha down via Myspace and eventually the story became so big, it received national coverage. Millions of people were now following the blogging, including major news sources. Under the pressure of the public eye, the NYPD was forced to act on the crime and justice was finally served. However this story raised many questions about the danger of social media and how somebody’s reputation can be tarnished in other, undeserving, situations. Still, I think that this was innovative of Evan and it shows that he is just smarter and more motivated than somebody who would just let the phone go. He deserved justice and when he didn’t get it, he utilized an option of the 21st century. Since then we have seen many videos go viral and develop cult followings all around the world. Now, it is simply a common part of our culture.